Saturday, November 10, 2018

Homeless man stabs, carjacks shelter van driver

A Good Samaritan who was trying to give homeless people rides to a shelter wound up being stabbed Saturday morning when a homeless man in his van carjacked the vehicle, police said. A suspect is in custody.

The 39-year-old victim was driving his personal van on lower Michigan Avenue at Hubbard Street around 8:20 a.m. to find homeless people in need of showering and services at a local shelter, police said. At some point, a homeless passenger pulled out a 12-inch knife and stabbed him in a carjacking attempt, according to police and the victim.

Police said the victim got out of the van and held onto its side as the homeless man drove away. The vehicle crashed nearby with the victim still holding onto its side, police said. The offender fled from the crash scene and was later taken into custody by officers near Michigan Avenue and Upper Wacker Drive. Police said the suspect, age 32, had blood on his hands when they found him.

The victim, who suffered multiple lacerations to his hand, refused to sign any complaints against the offender, police said. Prosecutors are pursuing charges of unlawful use of a weapon and reckless conduct, according to a CPD statement.

#Chicago: Man helping the homeless suffered a stab wound after an attack in the 200 block of E. Hubbard late this morning:
-Offender stabbed the victim while the victim attempted to stop the suspect from stealing his work van
-Offender crashed into pedestrian stairway#RiverNorthpic.twitter.com/uu7MvjixfW